The Oba emerges with plaited hair and the men and chiefs of Owo wear finery, wigs, braids and beads. The Igogo festival of the Yoruba of Owo seems to bear similarities with the Gerewol dance by the Fulani of Agadez, Niger republic.
Background
I have been to Ingall, near Agadez, as well as Owo in Ondo state to cover festivals which have the common theme of love. The trip to Agadez to report on the Gerewol, took place in September 2013. We left Konni in Niger republic at 6:00 pm and drove all night, arriving Ingall at 1:00pm. Gerewol coincides with the annual gathering of nomads at the edge of the sahara when the rainy season is drawing to a close. I was tired, but the colourful dance in the sunny desert woke me up. Here is a stream of colours and styles flowing from the nomadic Fulani which you cannot forget so easily, and which is at the same time a rich and rousing sight.
In September this year, in continuation of what is slowly becoming a field of special interest, I travelled to Owo to cover the annual Igogo festival. I bought a Sony Cybershot camera specially for the coverage of the festival, and I am glad I made that investment. This is a festival which is rooted in love and presents moments of drama, make believe, colour and fun. Comparisons have been made between Igogo and the Taj Mahal of India. Prince Olaleke Olateru Olagbegi, who lectures at the Rufus Giwa polytechnic Owo, opines “The Taj Mahal is a building which an Indian king built in honour of his late wife, and I appreciate this. But the Igogo festival is different from the Taj Mahal because it occurs annually. It happened last year,and it’s a different feel of the festival this year. A decade later you that experienced it for 10 years can give ten different experiences of it. So, in a way, yes, it is Taj Mahal in honour of love, but Igogo is transient and dynamic, unlike Taj Mahal which is static. Igogo itself is a highly mobile expression of love which also focuses on a very special woman who once flourished in our community.”
The use of costumes and related accessories are an important aspect of the Igogo festival. A young lady exclaims upon sighting a moustached youth wearing gold ear rings and permed hair “The boy is fine. The boy is fine.” Another chief wearing artificial buttocks pushes against some of the women at the festival, creating some laughter with his antics in a section of the palace grounds. In a quiet corner some women help a chief to adjust his wig, which seems to have become weak, what with the dancing and all the music. Another costumed chief whose hair is done in braids, is about to enter the palace with a colourful train behind him.
The Olowo dances
The Igogo festival is in honour of Oronsen,a goddess who once lived in Owo some 700 years ago, one whose beauty drew envy and hatred from many of the king’s wives. But her beauty stirred adoration from Oba Renrengenjen, her husband. Soon she had to flee the palace. The Oba looked for her, but she refused to return home with him. Instead, she instituted the Igogo festival with the assurance that if the Oba and his descendants would mark the festival annually, then he was certain to receive her blessings. No drums are beaten during the festival, and no one is allowed to cover his or her hair while the Olowo dances,and the firing of guns is forbidden. Also, during the festival the Oba plaits his hair and wears a red blouse,much as Oronsen herself would have done. The Igogo festival lasts 17 days and the Igogo dance by the Oba is one of its high points which a tourist would do well to witness. A huge crowd escorts Oba David Victor Olateru-Olagbegi as he strides through the grounds of the palace, and he makes to dance as every single Olowo has done. Around the king on the occasion are many chiefs and women who are dressed in white. The trumpet and the gongs produce lovely music as the train moves. The Oba walks for a while and stops at defined spots where he turns and dances in that special evocative dance which is the preserve of royals. Leaving the market, he pauses a few times to beat a gong which he carries with him, as well as to dance until he draws close to the palace. His plaited hair and red blouse seem to glow while he dances, or is this the effect of the setting sun? He is now inside one of the many courtyards which has a low roof, and this form of architecture defines the palace as well as the festival itself. There is something high, eloquent and inspiring about these silent low roofs seen in the twilight. Then the Oba enters the palace after a dance inspired again by the many melodious gongs and trumpets which don’t ever seem to tire. The previous evening the courtyard which he has just returned to was witness to the ‘ero’ performance which is always part of the Igogo festival. Men dance and sing, using hand fans and powerful voices to create music during this dance. One man sings and the others respond in a song that awes the watcher. A visitor to Owo must also make effort to see this dance.
During the three final days of the festival in Owo, there is much colour and fun and many of the chiefs appear with plaited hair and beads around their necks, and they would go from door to door with a large crowd made up of music makers. As he dances from door to door, the inhabitants of each house will come out and dance, and give a gift to the costumed chief. The latter then turns and dances down the road with his train. The countless costumes which make Owo a rainbow of sorts at this time of the year, are another exciting aspect of the festival occuring in a largely patriarchal society, which has enough cultural space and flexibility to accommodate the adoration of a goddess. The Oba and the men try to imitate the appearance of the goddess, through the use of costumes, plaited hair, wigs, and braids as much as possible. There are a considerable number of male youths who wear wigs or perm their hair or come out in braids and ear rings, altogether making them look every bit womanly.
A time to woo
Prince Olaleke comments on the special efforts made by women during the festival “Women seize the opportunity to look their best, because men from sundry places come around, see them in their attire and seek their hand in marriage. This is also the time when the Olowo chooses most of his wives. Some Olowos have married up to a hundred wives during the Igogo festival, because this is the time when all the beautiful women in the town come out, and the Olowo has the privilege of choosing before any other man. During this moment people in the town bring gifts to the Olowo, and the Olowo also gives gifts in return.There are more than 5,000 tubers of yam in the palace as we speak. The Olowo dispenses these gifts among the people and the chiefs.”
Igogo’s evolution
On the growth of the festival over the decades, Prince Olaleke says “I have witnessed this festival for over 40 years. The culture has grown in many ways. 40 years ago you would have found nothing less than 40 virgins with coral beads around their waists during the festival. By virtue of the way the generations have changed,it is hard to find a 20 year old virgin today at the festival. In those days it is from this group of virgins that the Olowo selects his wives.”
Concerning the attitude of the younger generations to the festival, he adds “A lot of the new generation see it as entertainment, as something they heard about which has occurred continuously for 7 centuries. They are inquisitive and want to be part of it. They see it as entertainment, as cultural development, and as a source of fun.”
On the significance of the hairdos worn by the men as well as the women “Everybody that is going to celebrate with the Olowo would have their hair woven, and this is part of the symbolism of Oronsen. She was an extremely beautiful woman and she had the most beautiful hair woven within the palace. History has it that she decorated her hair on a daily basis to attract her husband. She had more than 100 ladies who served her every single day. For instance, there were those that did her hair and then women who beautified her nails. She was a goddess and everything in the kingdom revolved around her.”
Women
According to Prince Olaleke “The women cheer the men along. But once the Olowo dances on Friday, then the women take over. After the Olowo dances, all his wives dance around the town for about 3 days, singing and praising Oronsen before rounding up the festival. They can be said to crown the festival. The women are actors of a sort who engage in rites which speak of forgiveness, for 700 years ago the wives of the Olowo acted against Oronsen which made her flee the palace. Oronsen wanted the senior wife to lead all the wives in pleading her plight during the festival, and this continues to occur today, 7 centuries later.” While commenting on the festival, Olanrewaju Onisile, the Oludoro of Owo tells Daily Trust “The festival is a celebration of culture. Every year it brings everyone together, that is, it brings all Owo sons and daughters together as a family. All friends, sons and daughters and friends in the diaspora, find it expedient to come together to celebrate at this time. It is a festival of love and unity.”
Festival of unity
Adeoye Oluwasola, Curator of the Owo museum, sees the festival as “an appreciation of the role of women in leadership. It can be described as the celebration of love. Like all festivals, this one brings about unity among the group.If you had been around when the festival started, you will see a lot of gifts being taken to the palace, and a lot of gifts too being taken away from the palace in the form of an exchange. This brings about the unity of the people in the area of participation in the festival. Gifts are exchanged and chiefs do obeisance to the Olowo, to show that they work in harmony with him.”
He repeats the possibilities of marriage mentioned earlier “A lot of marriages are contracted during the festival, because the environment is made conducive for people to interact. The whole community converges and relationships are established. Relationships are formed which can lead to marriages, and business links can be formed too during the festival.”
On the various hairdos on display during the festival, Oluwasola adds “When the Olowo wants to dance, he plaits his hair. It is the ceremonial attire of the king in obedience to Oronsen. The men in Owo do their hair after the fashion of a female during the festival. Oronsen is still the most prominent deity that has direct consequences for rulership in Owo. So, she is revered. In most cases during the kings outing, he wears a ceremonial dress. He wears a blouse of coral beads, and a wrapper too.While the Oba dances all women ensure that they remove their head gears, while men remove their hats and caps.”
Igogo’s future
“Concerning the future of the festival, Oluwasola says There is no way the people will not be celebrating it. It may however be reduced to the palace alone at some time. That’s the way I look at it. Since the king and the community will continue to relate, the community will continue to insist on the festival. If you become a king and you do not want to hold the festival, the people of Iloro quarters who are the kingmakers, will insist on it. A lot of people derive their livelihood from it. They naturally want their entitlement such as the gifts that fall to them during the festival, and this perpetuates the festival.The people will then look forward to it every year.”
Rethinking Igogo and Gerewol
There are elements in Gerewol which are similar to what obtains in the Igogo festival. Both festivals have a connection with the female principle in the sense that they focus on goddesses and the impact of these beings on the community. Also, both festivals are set in male dominated or patriarchal communities. In Agadez, the goddess is known as Gawo, while in Owo she is identified as Oronsen. There is the tendency towards imitation or make believe in both festivals, and this is captured in both dance, make up and dress styles in which the men strive to resemble the female. This is a very striking similarity. Next, both festivals occur at almost the same time which is in mid September every year,and both provide an environment for women to find husbands or lovers, or for the men to find wives. In Owo, it is said that one Olowo married 100 wives during a festival. The theme of an ever so delicate wooing and deep love is present in both. In Agadez, the men rub ochre on their faces, and make their eyes and teeth white and radiant in an attempt to please the female. In Owo, the Oba plaits his hair and wears a blouse, while the male members of the community decorate their hair, and wear wigs, beads and braids, all in honour of Oronsen who will in turn bless the Olowo and his kingdom. There are many taboos connected with the Igogo festival. For instance, all forms of drumming are banned, and no woman wears a head tie while the Oba dances. Neither will a man wear a hat at this time. On the other hand the Fulani group who perform the Gerewol have a name(Wodaabe) which means “the people of the taboo.” In other words the Wodaabe have a deep connection with the observance of taboos, and this, alongside the points earlier mentioned, links them in an unbroken line with the Yoruba of Owo. Are all these to be seen as mere coincidences?
By Tadaferua Ujorha
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